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Rene Redzepi and the search for sandfleas

May 9, 2012 | 2:45
pm

Rene Redzepi, a Danish chef whose Copenhagen restaurant Noma is often called the best in the world, flew in to give a talk at UCLA this week as part of a lecture series curated by Amy Rowat, a professor in the Department of Integrative Biology and Physiology, a specialist in the structure of cell nuclei. Redzepi wanted to demonstrate the making of an umami-rich condiment similar in taste to the ancient Roman fish sauce garum. For this, he needed a special ingredient...

Dear Mr. Gold: Do you have any ideas how we can procure a large quantity of sand fleas? We need them very soon for an upcoming culinary lecture.Best wishes,Amy

Dear Jonathan: It has been quite the adventure exploring our sand flea options. It's looking like we may have to defer to crickets. Best,

Amy

Dear Amy: I have been looking around for sand fleas. For a minute I thought that the term might be a euphemism for the tiny live crabs you see at sushi bars sometimes, but I decided it wasn't. And pillbugs, tiny crustaceans found in quantity in every Los Angeles backyard, are pretty close relatives, but: ewww. So crickets might work –- they're from a different subphylum, but have a similar crunch, I suspect, as well as the delicious, delicious taste of chiton. You can buy them live at pet stores, and dead (but culinary grade) at the restaurant Guelaguetza, whose owners import them from Oaxaca.